Funds are being sought to improve Chautauqua County’s trail system.

Jacob Bodway, who is the president of the Western New York Mountain Biking Association, is working with the county Parks Commission to implement a six year improvement project for the Overland Trails. Phases 1-3 would be for the West Overland Trails, while Phases 4-6 would focus on the East Overland Trails.

Ideally, Bodway would like $75,000 to $100,000 per phase and implement one phase a year through 2026. He has submitted a grant application to the Ralph Wilson Jr. Foundation through the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo. He is also working with foundations in the county for matching funds.

The first phase, which would take place this year if funded, would be on the West Overland trail beginning on Stebbins Road in Whalens Memorial State Forest and extending south to Rt. 474 in North Harmony State Forest. “This section of the trail has serious erosion issues and recently underwent a timber harvest, which presents safety concerns and problems with trail accessibility for multiple user-groups,” Bodway wrote in his application. “By eliminating erosion and trail hazards, our improvements would also address the needs to elderly trailer users, as well as the needs of trail users with disabilities.”

Phase 2 is set for 2022 and will be in Chautauqua Gorge State Forest and Mount Pleasant State Forest.

Phase 3 would take place in 2023 and will be focused on trails in Panama State Forest and Brokenstraw State Forest.

Phase 4 which is proposed in 2024, will be in Harris Hill State Forest.

Phase 5 would take place in 2025 and would be on the trails in Boutwell Hill State Forest.

Phase 6 would take place in 2026 and would be for the Canadaway Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Many of the trails would be recut to become windier, which would help prevent erosion. All of the work is dependent on grant approval.

The Ralph Wilson Jr. Foundation grant would be used for the trails themselves, while money from local foundations would be used for trail amenities.

“Some of the ideas we’ve floated are benches, new kiosks, trail signs, mile markers, bike repair stands in the parking lots, and a few other things,” Bodway told Parks Commission members.

Right now the trails are mainly marked with blue paint on select trees. Bodway would like to install 1,000 trail signs which would be 3 ¢ inches by 4 inches to help keep hikers from wandering off the trails. There would also be kiosks placed at all the parking lots with new basic trail maps.

Parks Commission member Martha Anderson has been going through the sign-in logs dating back to 2015. She said the trails have been visited by individuals from 47 states, five Canadian provinces and 20 countries. “Especially since COVID there’s been a lot of super positive things on the remarks on there,” she said.

Bodway guessed the trails are used by 5,000 people annually. Anderson said a lot of the people who use the trails don’t sign in the guest book and added the guest books don’t have dates of when people signed them.

County Public Facilities Director Brad Bentley, who oversees the county’s parks and trails, said they are applying for a grant to buy infrared trail cameras to better track the number of people that use the trails.

Bodway hopes to hear from the Ralph Wilson Jr. Foundation in late April or early May.

According to the county’s website, the Fred J. Cusimano Westside Overland Trail covers over 24 miles between Mayville and Sherman. The Earl Cardot Eastside Overland Trail is the eastern section of the county trail system, covering 19 miles from Gerry, north to the town of Arkwright. The trails are considered great for hiking, mountain biking or cross-country skiing, as well as camping with lean-tos available. The trails pass over New York state reforestation areas, Chautauqua County land and private properties.